In the plumbing, heating, and construction trades, a common operation is the cutting of tubing or pipe into desired lengths. This operation is performed either with the tube held in a vise, or with the tube fastened at one end into previously installed portions of a tubing network, or with the tube free at both ends. In the past, the cutting has taken place either by the use of a hacksaw or by the use of a caliper-type pipe cutter. The latter tool makes use of a C-shaped frame that embraces the part of the tube to be cut and that has a cutting disk that scores and cuts the tube as the tool is rotated about the tube.
In the case of the hacksaw, it is difficult to make a cut that is clean and square with the axis of the tube. The caliper-type pipe cutter performs the cutting operation very slowly, and since it is difficult to maintain it in the desired right-angle plane while swinging it about the tube, results in less than a clean, accurate cut. When the cut end of the tube is not perfect, difficulties are experienced when the cut length of tube is assembled with the fittings and couplings of the plumbing or heating network.
Attempts have been made in the past to develop a more effective and efficient cutter for tubular elements. An example of such a cutter is shown and described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,431 to WELLS. This patent shows an axial tube cutter that is particularly adapted to be used in removing electrical connector coupling rings from an assembly. It consists of a manually-operated tool with cutter disks rotatably mounted on hinged arms, so that the cutter disks can be moved radially toward and away from the axis of the ring that is to be cut.
It can be seen, then, that the prior art tools operate very slowly, make use of intensive hand labor, and depend for their accuracy on fallible human skill.
These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a tube cutter that operates very quickly and efficiently.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a tube cutter whose accuracy is not dependant on the skill of the operator.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a tube cutter that allows an unskilled worker to produce a cut tube end that is perfectly square with the axis of the tube and whose surface is perfectly formed.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tube cutter that is motor-driven and produces a cut end that can be incorporated without difficulty into a plumbing or heating assemblage.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube cutter that is simple and rugged in construction, which can be easily manufactured from readily-available materials, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a tube cutter in which the cut can be accurately located even when made by an unskilled operator.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.